The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, adopted on December 21, 1965, establishes a number of obligations of States parties to ensure the legal and practical implementation of the right not to be subjected to racial discrimination. The main obligations are set out in Part I of the Convention (articles 1-7). States parties may make a declaration under article 14 recognizing the competence of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, a group of 18 independent experts that meets twice a year, to consider complaints from individuals or groups of individuals regarding alleged violations of their rights under the Convention.
According to article 14, paragraph 2, a State party may establish a national body that will be competent to receive and consider petitions from individuals and groups of individuals who claim to be victims of a violation of their rights enshrined in the Convention and who have exhausted other available domestic remedies.